Human bone from Perry Oaks

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1 HUMAN BONE FROM PERRY OAKS by Jacqueline I. McKinley Cremated bone and residues from 19 contexts was subject to examination, together with residues from a further 18 contexts. The deposits appear to cover a wide temporal range from Mesolithic to Iron Age/Romano-British and a variety of deposit types including at least one Mid-Late Bronze Age unurned cremation burial. Methods All the deposits had been subject to whole-earth recovery in excavation and subsequently wet-sieved to 1 mm fraction. The >4 mm fractions were sorted and any bone fragments extracted (19 contexts), the <2 mm fractions being retained for scanning. All the residues were scanned by the writer and any bone fragments extracted; observations were also made on the density of other archaeological inclusions. Subsequent analysis followed the writer's standard procedure for the examination of cremated bone (McKinley 1994a). Age was assessed from the stage of ossification and epiphyseal bone fusion (McMinn and Hutchings 1985) and the general degree of degenerative changes to the bone. Sex was ascertained from the sexually dimorphic traits of the skeleton (Buikstra and Ubelaker 1994). Full details have been presented in the archive report. Results Cremated human bone was identified within 15 contexts comprising the fills of two middle-late Bronze Age pits (106013 and 127031). One other deposit (147152) contained a small quantity (0.8g) of burnt animal bone, and three others (147360, 172100 and 215033) produced small amounts (0.4-2.5g) of burnt bone which could not conclusively be distinguished as either human or animal. Pit 106013 (total depth 0.26 m) contained three fills, each excavated in quadrants giving 12 contexts, 11 of which contained cremated bone. Pit 137028 (0.28 m deep) contained a single fill excavated in quadrants (four contexts). A summary of the results of the analysis is presented in Table 1. Table 1: Summary of results (KEY: C – cervical; amtl - ante mortem tooth loss) context bone weight age sex pathology inclusions pit 106013 513.9g adult >35 yr. ??female amtl – mandibular left I1-2, distal mandible; abscess – anterior mandible; periodontal disease; exostoses – patella; periosteal new bone – fibula shaft, mandibular anterior labial body; degenerative disc disease – C; infection – mandibular canal; pitting, osteophytes & surface new bone – right C2 & 1 left C articular process unburnt cattle tooth; rare charcoal flecks pit 137032 284.0g adult 18-35 yr. ??female retention deciduous maxillary molar cu-alloy; 0.6g animal bone; common charcoal in NE quad.

description

Cremated bone and residues from 19 contexts was subject to examination, together with residues from a further 18 contexts. The deposits appear to cover a wide temporal range from Mesolithic to Iron Age/Romano-British and a variety of deposit types including at least one Mid-Late Bronze Age unurned cremation burial.

Transcript of Human bone from Perry Oaks

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HUMAN BONE FROM PERRY OAKS

by Jacqueline I. McKinley Cremated bone and residues from 19 contexts was subject to examination, together with residues from a further 18 contexts. The deposits appear to cover a wide temporal range from Mesolithic to Iron Age/Romano-British and a variety of deposit types including at least one Mid-Late Bronze Age unurned cremation burial. Methods All the deposits had been subject to whole-earth recovery in excavation and subsequently wet-sieved to 1 mm fraction. The >4 mm fractions were sorted and any bone fragments extracted (19 contexts), the <2 mm fractions being retained for scanning. All the residues were scanned by the writer and any bone fragments extracted; observations were also made on the density of other archaeological inclusions. Subsequent analysis followed the writer's standard procedure for the examination of cremated bone (McKinley 1994a). Age was assessed from the stage of ossification and epiphyseal bone fusion (McMinn and Hutchings 1985) and the general degree of degenerative changes to the bone. Sex was ascertained from the sexually dimorphic traits of the skeleton (Buikstra and Ubelaker 1994). Full details have been presented in the archive report. Results Cremated human bone was identified within 15 contexts comprising the fills of two middle-late Bronze Age pits (106013 and 127031). One other deposit (147152) contained a small quantity (0.8g) of burnt animal bone, and three others (147360, 172100 and 215033) produced small amounts (0.4-2.5g) of burnt bone which could not conclusively be distinguished as either human or animal. Pit 106013 (total depth 0.26 m) contained three fills, each excavated in quadrants giving 12 contexts, 11 of which contained cremated bone. Pit 137028 (0.28 m deep) contained a single fill excavated in quadrants (four contexts). A summary of the results of the analysis is presented in Table 1. Table 1: Summary of results (KEY: C – cervical; amtl - ante mortem tooth loss) context bone

weight age sex pathology inclusions

pit 106013 513.9g adult >35 yr.

??female amtl – mandibular left I1-2, distal mandible; abscess – anterior mandible; periodontal disease; exostoses – patella; periosteal new bone – fibula shaft, mandibular anterior labial body; degenerative disc disease – C; infection – mandibular canal; pitting, osteophytes & surface new bone – right C2 & 1 left C articular process

unburnt cattle tooth; rare charcoal flecks

pit 137032 284.0g adult 18-35 yr.

??female retention deciduous maxillary molar cu-alloy; 0.6g animal bone; common charcoal in NE quad.

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The bone generally appears in good condition with the exception of two fragments from pit 106013, a fragment of talus (foot bone) from the NW quadrant of the tertiary fill and a petrous temporal (ear bone) from the SW quadrant of the primary fill, both of which have a worn surface morphology. Both the tertiary and primary fills extended to the extant upper margins of the feature and bone was observed at the surface in both fills, so the worn fragments may have been in an exposed position close to the surface. Despite the good macroscopic appearance of the bone, there was a noticeable dearth of trabecular bone (e.g. articular surfaces, vertebral bodies, pelvic bone) in the assemblage. It has been observed that these skeletal elements suffer preferential loss in acidic burial environments even where the bone appears in good condition (McKinley 1997a, 245), it is therefore likely that slightly more bone was originally deposited than survived excavation. A minimum of two middle-late Bronze Age individuals were identified from the assemblage, both adults and most likely female. That the remains recovered from the three different layers within pit 106013 all derived from the cremation of the same adult was indicated by the lack of duplication of discrete skeletal elements, the commonalty in indications of age, sex and in pathological lesions between bone from all levels and quadrants, and the direct joins between bone fragments from the primary and tertiary fills. This individual had a number of lesions in the mandible which were probably all associated (Table 1); the periodontal disease (gum infection) may have been associated with dental caries which can result in tooth destruction and loss, with associated infection in the tooth sockets spreading into the mandibular canal and existing labially to produce a soft-tissue infection in the chin area. Woven, striated periosteal new bone, indicative of active (at time of death) infection in the periosteal membrane, was observed along one side of several fragments of fibula shaft. This may have formed in response to soft tissue trauma and/or infection to the lateral side of one leg. Lesions in the articular processes of two cervical vertebrae are probably indicative of osteoarthritis in the neck. Repetitive stress in at least one knee is indicated by exostoses (new bone) in the anterior surface of one patella. The retention of deciduous molars into adulthood (pit 137032) is not uncommon, but in the absence of the associated supportive structure of the maxilla it cannot conclusively be proven. It is possible that the tooth could have derived from a second, immature individual, though there is no other evidence to support this conjecture. The bone was uniformly white in colour, indicative of full oxidation of the organic components (Holden et al. 1995a and b). The quantity of bone from each feature represents c 52% (pit 106013) and 29% (Pit 137032) of the total weight of bone which would be expected from an adult female cremation where an absence of trabecular bone was observed (McKinley 1993). Although the weights are within the range observed from cremation burials of this date they are both below the average (McKinley 1997b) and a substantial proportion of the bone must have been disposed of elsewhere. The maximum recorded fragment sizes were low at 45 mm (106013) and 26 mm (137032) with similar proportions of the assemblages being recovered from the 10 mm and 5 mm sieve fractions (45% and 42% 106013; 40% each in 137032). Numerous factors may affect the degree of fragmentation of cremated bone (McKinley 1994b) including the cremation itself, collection procedures, burial

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conditions and excavation processes. The level of disturbance to the excavated deposited was relatively low, with only some possible truncation of the upper levels, and in 106013 the bone from the primary deposit had both a lower maximum fragment size and a smaller percentage (36%) of bone in the 10 mm sieve fraction than the middle and upper fills. However, as observed above, the burial environment was more detrimental to bone survival than may have been immediately apparent and under such conditions there is usually increased fragmentation of the bone (despite care) during excavation and post-excavation (McKinley 1996, 42). There is no evidence to suggest deliberate fragmentation of the bone prior to burial. Fragments of skeletal elements from all areas of the body were included in both deposits, indicating that complete corpses were cremated and there was no obvious bias towards the deposition of particular areas of the skeleton. The relatively low percentage of axial skeleton identified is a reflection of the poor survival of trabecular bone (see above). The fragments of copper alloy and cremated animal bone from pit 137031 probably represent the remains of pyre goods, both types being observed in cremation burials of this date (McKinley 1997b). The majority (55%) of the bone from pit 106013 (depth 0.24 m) was recovered from the primary fill, with only 10.6% from the narrow middle lens of material, and 34.4% from the third, final fill. The distinctions between the fills was not pronounced, the primary fill apparently containing slightly more charcoal flecking that the other two. The excavator recorded the bone as being concentrated in the south-east and east of the pit at all levels, whilst analysis showed the greater proportions of the bone to be in the south-west (54.4%) and north-east (30.7%), with only 0.5% deriving from the south-east quadrant. The absence of a mass of fuel ash and the concentration of bone in parts of the fill suggests this deposit, or contemporary series of deposits, represent the remains of an unurned cremation burial, largely deposited within a limited ‘strip’ extended NE-SW across the 1.20 m diameter pit. The precise sequence of events is unclear, but may have included the main ‘burial’ deposit followed by scattering of the remaining bone collected from the pyre site for burial within the grave as it was being backfilled, and/or some exchange of material between the fills as a result of bioturbation. The small amount of pyre debris recovered may have been an incidental inclusion of material collected with the bone from the pyre site, rather than one of the deliberate deposits of pyre debris in which one would expect to seem a greater mass of fuel ash.

The excavator recorded Pit 137032 (1.0 m diameter) as containing a mixed deposit of fuel ash (?burnt earth) and cremated bone, together with ‘clean’ earth with the greatest density of ‘burnt material’ in eastern half. The highest proportion of bone was recovered from the north-west quadrant (36%), with only 16% in the north-east quadrant. The scanned 2mm residues from all but the north-east quadrant were almost devoid of charcoal, which was common in the latter, i.e. fuel ash from the pyre debris was most common in the area of the pit fill with least bone in it. The nature of this deposit is debatable, the overall site description seems most characteristic of redeposited pyre debris possibly partly inserted into the pit whilst it was being backfilled, but the slightly varied distribution of bone and fuel ash may indicate that the remains arrived in (or on) two different receptacles rather than as a single, mixed ‘shovellful’. Alternatively, from the results of osteological analysis, the absence of pyre debris from all except one quadrant suggests the bone and fuel ash

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may have been deposited separately and that the observed mixing is the product of bioturbation. If the deposit does represent a formal deposit of pyre debris rather than a burial, the associate burial should lay – of have lain – somewhere in relatively close proximity. The two deposits appear completely isolated, being separated by c 700m with no other apparently associated features. Similarly isolated or small groups of Bronze Age cremation burials are not uncommon, with several from the general vicinity including two Early Bronze Age urned burials from Hurst Park (Andrews 1996), two Middle Bronze Age urned burials from Prospect Park (ibid.), and up to 14 urned and unurned, Middle and Late Bronze Age burials from Imperial College, forming small groups or being deposited in isolation (Crockett pers. comm.). Several features containing what may prove to be deliberate deposits of pyre debris were identified at Imperial College in association with one small group of burials (ibid.), and pyre debris was recovered in the backfills of the graves at Prospect Park (McKinley 1996). The form of the burial at Perry Oaks is slightly unusual, the bone apparently being deposited as a spread on the base of the grave cut, but some such deposits have been observed in the Bronze Age (e.g. Downes 1995). References Andrews, P. 1996 ‘Prospect Park, Harmonsworth, London Borough of Hillingdon:

Settlement and Burial from the Neolithic to the early Saxon Periods’ 1-50 in Andrew, P. and Crockett, A. Three Excavations Along the Thames and its Tributaries, 1994 Wessex Arch. Report 10.

Andrews, P. 1996 ‘Hurst Park, East Molesey, Surrey: Riverside Settlement and Burial from the Neolithic to the Early Saxon Periods’, 51-104, in Andrews, P. and Crockett, A. 1996

Buikstra, J.E. and Ubelaker, D.H. 1994 Standards for data collection from human skeletal remains Arkansas Archaeological Survey Research Series 44 Downes, J. 1995 'Linga Fold, Sandwick, Orkney; Excavation of a Bronze age barrow cemetery 1994' GUARD 59.2 (Glasgow University). Holden, J.L., Phakley, P.P. and Clement, J.G. 1995a ‘Scanning electron microscope observations of incinerated human femoral bone: a case study. Forensic Science International 74: 17-28 Holden, J.L., Phakley, P.P. and Clement, J.G. 1995b ‘Scanning electron microscope observations of heat-treated human bone. Forensic Science International 74: 29-45 McKinley, J.I. 1993 Bone fragment size and weights of bone from modern British cremations and its implications for the interpretation of archaeological cremations. International J. Osteoarchaeology 3: 283-287 McKinley, J.I. 1994a The Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Spong Hill, North Elmham Part VIII: The Cremations. East Anglian Archaeology No. 69. McKinley, J.I. 1994b 'Bone fragment size in British cremation burials and its implications for pyre technology and ritual'. J. Arch. Sci. 21: 339-342. McKinley, J.I. 1997a ‘The cremated human bone from burial and cremation-related

contexts’, p. 55-72 in Fitzpatrick, A. P. 1997 Archaeological Excavations on the Route of the A27 Westhampnett Bypass, West Sussex, 1992 Volume 2. WA Report No. 12

McKinley, J.I. 1997b Bronze Age ‘Barrows’ and Funerary Rites and Rituals of Cremation PPS 63: 129-145

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McKinley, J.I. 1996 ‘Cremated Human Bone’, 40-42 in Andrews, P. McMinn, R.M.H. and Hutchings, R.T. 1985 A colour atlas of human anatomy Wolfe Medical Publications (London).

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PERRY OAKS (WPR98) HUMAN BONE INVENTORY See Table 2 below for bone weights and percentage distribution, and maximum fragment sizes. Pit 106013 Mid-Late Bronze Age pit, fill comprised three layers, each excavated in quadrants. Difficult from records to ascertain relative quantities of charcoal with any clarity, seem to suggest most was in primary fill with flecks only in subsequent two (I think?). Records state bone was in a concentration on one side of the pit – to the E and SE which is at total odds with findings in analysis which puts concentrations in SW and NE. Upper fill 106006, 106008, 106019 & 106023. Context 106006 Upper fill, NE quad SKULL: Vault; 3 very small fragments. INCLUSION: Charcoal fragment COMMENT: No bone or charcoal in residue. Would not call this a ‘concentration of

bone’ context 106008 Upper fill, SW quad. SKULL: Maxilla fragment, socket fragment. LOWER LIMB: Femur shaft fragment. COMMENT: Residues; no bone context 106019 Upper fill, NW quad. SKULL: Mandible – inferior border fragment. Maxilla – very small fragment distal alveolus. Joining fragments left supra-orbital, medium margins (B&U 2-3). Small fragment right distal external auditory meatus margin. Occipital fragment with slight external occipital protuberance (B&U 2). Vault; 26 fragments including frontal with sinus cavities. 1a = 5.5m. AXIAL SKELETON: Axis – fragment right articular surface and articular process,

Gross pitting in latter with new bone and total remodelling of surface. Cervical articular process pair – remodelling inferior (left) surface with new bone margins, pitting and new bone in surface. Fragment articular process. Thoracic; fragments 2 articular processes. Rib; shaft fragment. UPPER LIMB: Fragments humerus (3) and ulna (3) shaft. Fragments minimum 1 metacarpal head. Fragments 2 middle phalanges heads with shafts. Proximal/middle shaft fragment. LOWER LIMB: Femur; 6 fragments shaft, strong linea aspera.

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Fragments tibia (2) & fibula shaft (1). Worn fragments talus. INCLUSIONS: Fragment burnt flint COMMENT: Residue; small bag, occasional small bone & charcoal. context 106023 upper fill, NE quad. SKULL: Premolar root fragment. Mandible – right disto-buccal body fragment with min 3 shallow molar sockets; foramen enlarged anteriorly, disruption in cavity. Vault; 14 fragments. AXIAL SKELETON: Cervical body with osteophytes, especially inferior, and pitting

in surfaces especially inferior. Body fragment. Innominate; fragment acetabulum UPPER LIMB: Distal radius shaft fragment. LOWER LIMB: Fragments femur (7) and tibia (2) shaft. Talus fragment. COMMENT: residue no bone Secondary Fill 106009, 106010, 106018, 106022 context 106009 Second fill SE quad. SKULL: Vault fragment. COMMENT: Common small bone fragments in residue. context 106010 Second fill NW quad. SKULL: Fragment moderately deep glabella. Vault; 2 fragments. AXIAL SKELETON: Thoracic; articular process fragment. LOWER LIMB: Fragments femur (3) and fibula (1) shaft. INCLUSIONS: Fragment u/b animal tooth crown (more from 011 below) COMMENT: Residues; small bag, common small bone, rare charcoal context 106018 Second fill SW quad. SKULL: Mandible; small fragment anterior labial body with inferior spines. Inferior

border fragment. Small distal body fragment with resorbing socket. Left postglenoid tubercle and external auditory meatus margin. Vault; 7 fragments, 1a = 3.9m AXIAL SKELETON: Thoracic; articular process fragment. Rib; 3 small fragments shaft. UPPER LIMB: Humerus; shaft fragment. LOWER LIMB: Femur; shaft fragment. Patella; anterior surface fragment, slight exostoses. Fibula; minimum 1 fragment shaft, striated periosteal new bone along one side. COMMENT: Residue; medium bag, occasional small bone, rare charcoal.

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106022 Secondary fill NE quad. COMMENT: Bone missing?. No bone in residue Primary Fill 106007, 106011, 106017, 106021. ‘Frequent cremated bone’ - Bone supposedly concentrated S and SE context 106007 Primary fill SE quad. SKULL: Tiny fragment tooth root. COMMENT: Would not consider this as ‘frequent’ bone, even with residues (large

bag) containing frequent small fragments bone & rare charcoal flecks. context 106011 Primary fill NW quad. SKULL: Mandible – small anterior body fragment with socket and disruption in

anterior surface (new bone) and open wove new bone I adjacent socket – possible abscess exiting buccally/labially. Left labial distal body fragment with socket margins. Small fragment orbital margin (?inferior). Sphenoid fragment. Vault; 25 fragments, thin 1a = 3.1m AXIAL SKELETON: Cervical; fragment articular process. Rib; 2 small fragments shaft. UPPER LIMB: Fragments humerus and ulna shaft. Proximal phalanx base with shaft fragment. 1st distal phalanx base with shaft fragment. LOWER LIMB: Fragments tibia and fibula shaft. INCUSIONS: Unburnt animal tooth crown (as in layer above). COMMENT: Residue; med. bag, mod-common small bone, rare ca. context 106017 Primary fill SW quad. SKULL: Molar root branch fragment. Mandible – anterior body fragment with right I1-C sockets, left I1-2 resorbed with loss in depth & thickness of body. Left labial distal body fragment with min. 3 small sockets, periodontal disease indicated by new bone on alveolar margin. 2 small fragments body with woven new bone in ?sockets and mandibular sinus. Maxilla; very small alveolar fragment wit socket. Worn left petrous temporal. Fragment occipital condyle. Small fragment right external auditory meatus margin distal. Vault; 26 fragments, 1a = 4m AXIAL SKELETON: Lumbar; articular process fragment. Rib; shaft fragment. UPPER LIMB: Humerus; 3 fragments shaft. Radius; fragments minimum 1 head. 3 fragments shaft. Ulna; proximal articular surface fragment with radial notch & coronoid process.

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Fragment scapula. Metacarpal shaft fragment. Proximal phalanx shaft fragment, head with shaft fragment. Middle phalanx head with shaft fragment. Distal phalanx, shaft fragment. LOWER LIMB: Fragments femur (7, strong linea aspera) and fibula (1 with new

bone one side). INCLUSIONS: Some charcoal. COMMENT: Residue; med. bag, occ-mod small bone, rare charcoal context 106021 Primary fill NE quad. Equiv. 011/007/017. SKULL: Tooth root fragment. Mandible – fragment right anterior ramus border. Frontal ridge with sinus cavities. Fragment external occipital protuberance (joins 019) moderate (B&U 3-4). Vault; 23 fragments. 1a = 4.2mm AXIAL SKELETON: Cervical; body fragment. Fragment articular process. Thoracic; body fragment. Spinal process fragment. Rib; shaft fragment. UPPER LIMB: Fragments radius and ulna shaft. Trapezoid fragment. 3 fragments metacarpal shaft. Base with shaft fragment. Small distal phalanx, head with shaft fragment. Small sesamoid bone 6.2 x 3m LOWER LIMB: Femur; 3 fragments shaft Fibula; distal/proximal shaft fragment with striated open new bone on in. 2 sides. 1st metatarsal head fragment. AGE: adult >35 yr. SEX: ??female PATHOLOGY SUMMARY: amtl – mandibular left 1st & 2nd incisors, mandibular

distal; abscess – anterior mandible; periodontal disease – new bone alveolar margin; exostoses – patella; periosteal new bone – fibula shaft, mandible anterior labial body; degenerative disc disease – C; infection – mandibular right foramen enlarged and disrupted, woven new bone in canal; pitting, osteophytes & surface new bone – C2 right ap, C left ap INCLUSIONS: Little charcoal recovered from anywhere, and the residues at all

levels and spits contained only rare small flecks, i.e. there are no major, deliberate deposits of pyre debris anywhere within the pit. Looks like incidental inclusion.

Fragments of unburnt cattle tooth from secondary and primary fill. Fragment burnt flint in one quad. spit. COMMENT: Joins between bone fragments from the primary (021) and tertiary

(019), together with lack of duplicated fragments, commonality in indications of age, size and pathological lesions between bone from all levels, clearly indicate these represent the remains of the same individual. Observations of concentration in SE and E NOT supported by actual distribution of bone which shows clear concentration in SW (54.4%) and NE (30.7%) with only 0.5% from the SE.

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context 133057 No context data. COMMENT: Residue contained no bone or charcoal. Not a crd. context 137020 Pit containing burnt flint. COMMENT: residue sand – no archaeological inclusions whatever. Could possibly

be similar to the occasional vessels full of burnt flint ones occasionally finds in the vicinity of cremation-related deposits e.g. Twyford Down. Pit 137032 Small pit containing mixed deposited of fuel ash (?burnt earth) and cremated bone, together with ‘clean’ earth. context 137028 NE quad. SKULL: Vault; 16 small fragments. AXIAL SKELETON: Cervical/thoracic articular process fragment. Innominate; ilium fragment. UPPER LIMB: Humerus; 5 fragments shaft. LOWER LIMB: Tibia; 2 fragments shaft. ANIMAL: 2 fragments. (0.7g) INCLUSIONS: 2 fragments charcoal. COMMENT: Residue; one med, bag. common charcoal flecks & small bone context 137029 SE. quad. SKULL: Vault; 10 fragments. COMMENT: Residue; no bone, rare charcoal flecks context 137030 SW quad. SKULL: Narrow, sharp & bowed maxillary molar root branch. Fragment right petrous temporal. Right lateral supra-orbital fragment. Vault 21 fragments, sutures c. 1/8th. 1a = 3.9m AXIAL SKELETON: Innominate; fragment ilium. UPPER LIMB: Scapula; fragment left acromion neck. Humerus; distal dorsal shaft fragment. Ulna; small rigth proximal articular surface – olecranon and sigmoid surface. LOWER LIMB: Tibia; 2 fragments shaft. PYRE GOODS: Tiny fragment Cu-alloy? COMMENT: Residue; common small bone, rare charcoal flecks context 137031

NW quad SKULL: Vault; 2 small fragments. AXIAL SKELETON: Cervical; 2 small fragments articular processes. Cervical/thoracic; body fragment. Rib; 2 fragments shaft.

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UPPER LIMB: Radius; 2 fragments shaft. Middle phalanx head with shaft fragment, fragment same. LOWER LIMB: Fragments tibia (1) and fibula (2) shaft. PYRE GOODS: Animal 0.6g INCLUSIONS: Charcoal fragment. COMMENT: Residue; common small bone, rare charcoal flecks AGE: adult 18-35yr. SEX: ??female PATHOLOGY SUMMARY: ?retention deciduous maxillary molar PYRE GOODS: Copper-alloy fragment? 0.6g animal bone. INCLUSIONS: Charcoal flecks common in NE quad. (residue), rare in all others. COMMENT: The maxillary deciduous molar could possibly relate to a second,

infant-juvenile individual in the burial BUT in the absence of any other indications of a second individual it may equally, if not more so, represent a retention from the primary dentition in the adult. Distribution of bone and charcoal flecking does not correspond with that observed in excavation where greatest density of ‘burnt material’ was observed in SE quad (75% density) and NE quad (65% density). NE quad. contained lowest proportion of bone (16%) the highest proportion being in the NW quad (36%), though the charcoal flecking in residue was only common in NE quad. context 147152 Shallow (0.08m) pit supposedly containing a ‘cremation burial’; clearly heavily truncated (cut 0.08m). COMMENT: Small fragments burnt animal bone, no human remains. No bone or

charcoal in residue. Insufficient evidence to state this is a cremation burial, it could be cremation related or not. context 147360 Shallow (0.08m) pit containing dispersed burnt flint, occasional charcoal flecks & and iron nail. COMMENT: Tiny fragments human long bone, no fragments identifiable to element. One tiny fragment bone ?human/?animal. Burnt flint and charcoal fragments; no bone or charcoal in residues. Amalgamated bone because scabby quantities and no data on way it was separated. Debatable deposit type, could be truncated crd or just redeposited material. context 172086 No context data. COMMENT: No bone just fragments burnt flint and charcoal. No bone in residues

either context 172087 No context data COMMENT: No bone, just few burnt flint & charcoal, flint flake

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context 172091 No context data COMMENT: No bone, 3 fragments charcoal, 1 burnt flint context 172092 No context data COMMENT: No bone, just charcoal context 172093 No context data COMMENT: No bone, burnt flint & charcoal context 172093 No context data COMMENT: No bone, charcoal and flint context 172094 No context data COMMENT: No bone, charcoal and burnt flint context 172095 No context data COMMENT: No bone, burnt flint context 172096 No context data COMMENT: No bone, burnt flint context 172098 No context data COMMENT: No bone, Charcoal context 172101 No context data COMMENT: No bone, burnt flint and charcoal context 172100 No context data COMMENT: Burnt flint, fired clay. The small amount of bone recovered (2 very

small fragments). As have no data on context cannot comment on possible type but it could be crd. context 172101 COMMENT: No bone, burnt flint and charcoal context 172100 COMMENT: Burnt flint, fired clay. The small amount of bone recovered (2 very

small fragments, is animal). context 215033

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‘Pyre pit’ COMMENT: ?Animal/human bone No indication as to criteria used on site for this interpretation, on the strength of what is available for analysis nothing to support it being a cremation-related deposit. context 215039 Charcoal layer COMMENT: Burnt and unburnt animal bone (inc. tooth crown) Not crd. context 216011 No context data COMMENT: Burnt animal bone .1g

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Table 2. Perry Oaks bone weights, percentage distribution and maximum fragment sizes

number total 10mm % total 5mm % total 2mm % total res. max. id. wt. % total skull % id. axial % id. u.limb % id. l.limb % id. wt. (g) wt. (g) wt. wt. (g) wt. wt. (g) wt. frag. (g) wt. wt. wt. wt. wt. wt. wt. wt. wt.

106006 SE quad; upper fill 1.2 0.00 0.4 33.33 0.8 66.67 9 0.6 50.00 0.6 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 106008 NW quad; upper fill 2 0.6 30.00 0.7 35.00 0.7 35.00 19 0.6 30.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.6 100.00 106019 SW quad; upper fill 97.2 60.1 61.83 32.1 33.02 5 5.14 + 42.5 59.2 60.91 29.7 50.17 5.2 8.78 7 11.82 17.3 29.22 106023 NE quad; upper fill 76.5 46.4 60.65 24.1 31.50 6 7.84 45 42.3 55.29 13.8 32.62 5.6 13.24 3.9 9.22 19 44.92 106009 SE quad; secondary fill 1.1 0.00 0.00 1.1 100.00 + 11 0.1 9.09 0.1 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 106010 NW quad; secondary fill 18.7 9.9 52.94 6.6 35.29 2.2 11.76 42 9.1 48.66 2.7 29.67 0.6 6.59 0.00 5.8 63.74 106018 SW quad; secondary fill 34.7 13 37.46 19.5 56.20 2.2 6.34 + 28.2 15.6 44.96 6.1 39.10 0.8 5.13 2.1 13.46 6.6 42.31 106007 SE quad; primary fill 0.2 0.00 0.00 0.2 100.00 ++ 14 0 0.00 106011 NW quad; primary fill 53.3 18.1 33.96 21.6 40.53 13.6 25.52 + 20 12.9 24.20 9.2 71.32 0.3 2.33 1.8 13.95 1.6 12.40 106017 SW quad; primary fill 147.7 54.5 36.90 72.8 49.29 20.4 13.81 + 37.5 51.6 34.94 25.4 49.22 1.1 2.13 10 19.38 15.1 29.26 106021 NE quad; primary fill 81.3 29.5 36.29 36.9 45.39 14.9 18.33 + 25 29.8 36.65 16.5 55.37 2.1 7.05 3.3 11.07 7.9 26.51 Gp 106013; total 513.9 232.1 45.16 214.7 41.78 67.1 13.06 45 198 38.53 104.1 52.58 4.9 2.47 15.1 7.63 73.9 37.32 137028 Gp. 137032; NE quad. 45.3 16.5 36.42 19.7 43.49 9.1 20.09 ++ 26.4 15.6 34.44 2.5 16.03 1.2 7.69 9 57.69 2.9 18.59 137029 Gp. 137032; SE quad. 62.4 57 91.35 3.9 6.25 1.5 2.40 23.4 7.8 12.50 7.8 100.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 137030 Gp. 137032; SW quad 74.5 24.6 33.02 31.8 42.68 18.1 24.30 + 23.4 24.1 32.35 16.1 66.80 2.3 9.54 4.1 17.01 1.6 6.64 137031 Gp. 137032; NW quad 101.8 17 16.70 60 58.94 24.8 24.36 + 22.1 15.8 15.52 9.9 62.66 2.9 18.35 1.4 8.86 1.6 10.13 284 115.1 40.53 115.4 40.63 53.5 18.84 26.4 63.3 22.29 36.3 57.35 6.4 10.11 14.5 22.91 6.1 9.64 147152 0.8 0.00 0.4 50.00 0.4 50.00 0 0.00 147360 2.5 0.00 1.3 52.00 1.2 48.00 10 0 0.00 172100 0.4 0.00 0.4 100.00 0.00 0 0.00 215033 0.7 0.00 0.6 85.71 0.1 14.29 0 0.00